St. Paul daily globe., 1887-10-22
BLACK HILLS CULTURE,

"A Pleasant Sketch of the Music
ally Inclined People of Rapid
City, Typical of the Progress
Made by Other Towns.
Special to the Globe
RAPID CITY, OAK, Oct. 21.-The in
terest taken and excellence achieved in
musical culture in the Black Hills would
probably surprise the effete East, which
may still think of the land of the Da-
kotas as the land of the COWBOYS and
road agents. On the contrary, the de-
gree of musical culture obtaining i'm all
parts of the Hills is exceptional. es-
pecially for new country and scat
tered people. so largely absorbed in
mining pursuits. Every town of any
size can boast of cOrnet band or glee
club, and there are not few musicians
who,aS amateurs, could take respectable
rank as professional performers. Rapid
City, though not entitled to the first
place in musical interest among these
towns, is fair example of the state of
the art in the country. 1t has cornet
band, two orchestras, and (until lately,
when death and removals broke into it,
had also a good octette glee club.
Musical interest has within the
impetus from the attention
given to it by the chrches. Rev. and
Mrs. w. S. Peterson, of the Presbyte-
rian church, ARE fine musicians, and have
given inspiration to the choir service of
their meetings. j. j. Ware, who
reads lay service for the Esiscopalian
church, is professional musician, he
having given seven years to the study
in England. He has baritone voice of
great fieXibility and range, which is an
attraction socially. Mrs. Ware is also a
fine vocalist and accompanist. The
family of the Congregational minister.
Rev. j. w. Davis, is musical. His
daughter, Mrs. PreSler, has a voice of
rare power and expression, to the culti-
vation of which much attention has
been given.
As might be anticipated, the pulpit
thus gives tone to the
CHOIR IN OUR CHURCH SERVICES.
Nearly all the chOirS are Quartettes
and have SoloiStS; all of them have Or
ganS and two of them cornets.
The Presbyterian choir consists of
Rev. Peterson, Bass; Prof. l.. l.. Con-
nant, of the School of Arms, tenor: Mrs
W. l.. Gardner, alto; and Miss Bur
chard, soprano. The society has sur
plus material: Mrs. Geo. Hunt. ,Jr..
dllO, anu lIlc TWO McSSrS. Spayde, bass
and tenor, being representative musi-
clans of the place.
The Congregational choir consists of
Miss Grimshaw, soprano; Miss Howe.
alto; W. w. Cliff. bass; II. W. Somers
tenor; Miss Alice Somers, organist. and
Frank Lockwood, cornetist. This or
ganization, however, is only tentative
The society is rich in musical material
Mrs. o. l.. Cooper, Mrs. James HALEY
j. Nj. Leedy-a leader for MANY wears
in musical matters-and others being
available.
The Episcopalians have no organized
choir. but enroll some of the best ma
terial in the place-as Miss Floorman
organist; Mrs. John Hall, one of the
purest and evenest of sopranos, and
Mrs. HI. E. Bailey.
The Methodist choir consists of Miss
Augusta Zelmar, soprano; Mrs. Cliff.
ford, alto: Charles Fuller, tenor: III. w
Mills, bass; Abbie French, organist:
DIR. +. Nj. GantZ, cornetiSt.
The Catholic church has for musical
service: S0prani, Misses Annie Boyd
and Annie Mahoney alto, Mr.. LeFabre:
tenor, Nicholas Simon; bassos, Andrew